Updating the Emergency Department Algorithm: One Patch Is Not Enough

Published In

Health Services Research

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

7-19-2017

Abstract

In this issue of Health Services Research, Johnston and colleagues present a patch to the New York University Emergency Department Algorithm (EDA), “the most widely used tool for retrospectively assessing the probability that ED visits are urgent, preventable, or optimally treated in an ED, using administrative data” (Johnston et al. 2017). The patch incorporates International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes that were not in existence when the EDA was developed. The authors demonstrate that this update eliminates the increase in “unclassified” ED visits over time that is attributable to these new ICD-9-CM codes. They have also developed a “beta” version for use with ICD-10 codes. Although the authors succeed with this well-designed patch, other concerns about the EDA continue to limit its usefulness.

DOI

10.1111/1475-6773.12735

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/24824

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